Pushing on...

Well, the completion of the Briggate project last week means that my time is now solely focused on producing my Final Design Project. There hasn't been much in the way of progress other than contemplating earlier thoughts about what is meant by "Community Well Being"; I also made a visit to Kelvin Hall School last week to investigate the site and take photos but also I spent the morning with a couple of classes and was given the opportunity to dicuss some ideas with the pupils and teachers as well as offer them some insight into what it is architect's do. I spent the second school period od the day in a Year 8 Geography class were I was given free reign by the teacher to discuss my ideas, then I spent the third period with an art class; both classes were wonderfully receptive and encouraging and gave me some excellent input.

Just to jot down some thoughts that came out of my session there:

• The school no longer has a library, pupils would like to see one reinstated.
• Pupils are very aware of the current trend for healthy eating, organic foods, etc. and were very enthusiastic about being given the opportunity to learn how to cook, shop and grow food as well as being provided with more options for their school lunches; maybe even preparing their own? Food could be the main aspect of this project?
• A new sports centre on site is beginning to engage the community with the school as well as providing excellent facilities for the staff and pupils to use.
• Safety and security are big issues with the children; particularly with regards to older children stealing their ball, smoking behind buildings and other every day problems of secondary school. However, most see it as a learning curve and accept that segregation is not the answer as was suggested by one in the class.
• More children would like to cycle to school but the bike stores are inadequate (approximately 10 racks for 1000 pupils) and they feel unsafe and unmonitored due to their current location.
• Most pupils live locally (within 15 minutes walk) and walk to school, only a handful travel by bus or car.
• The environment and sustainability are subjects that the school now teaches and the Year 9 classes are asked to design a building as part of their studies. This is done as a purely geographical/environmental study and whilst very encouraging I put the question to the pupils and teachers as to whether they believe architecture can be seen as a form of art and if there is a way to combine the subjects? (More on this later)
  
• More than half take part in extra-curricular activities such as football teams or music lessons, mostly after school with few taking part away from school. Of those not taking part in any activities, some suggested that local opportunities are limited or unsuited to their needs.
  

The day was just a brief and initial study but certainly gave me a different perspective and it seems so long ago that I used to walk those halls! The work that is done in Year 9 with regards to buildings interests me greatly and I took this discussion further with the Geography and Art teachers; we discussed the opportunity of me going back to the school int he new year to take a small class on architecture, which would link to Art and Geogrpahy classes. Exciting, but scary! There may also be other opportunities that arise from this which could inform my project, such as the making of a documentary, with a friend of mine, and the possible involvement in a whole school project with sustainability at the heart of it. I look forward to these developments!

One final point, this is an interesting interview with David Chipperfield with regards to current architectural trends; very poignant for us I think!